Therapists in Stratford, ON

Many clients find their way to therapy because they feel anxious, burnt out, and overwhelmed. Often, they are also newly aware of the negative impact these states are having on relationships with their loved ones, their work, and themselves. At a practical level, I help my clients reduce their symptoms of anxiety; at a deeper level, I help them unearth the unconscious beliefs that direct "problem" behaviours and patterns that are no longer serving them. I believe that what we become conscious of we can change, and that when we are empowered in this way we can then live more creatively-fulfilled, peaceful, and satisfying lives.

I’m a Child and Youth Counsellor with 17 years of experience working one-on-one with diverse children and youth. I meet each client where they're at, and am known for my ability to make kids feel at ease, safe and comfortable. I use a warm, empathetic and strengths-based approach. I help child and youth clients to identify strengths and goals by working alongside them and supporting their needs in a collaborative, developmentally appropriate (and often fun!) way that facilitates their growth, personal understanding and mental health journey.

At the moment I am unable to take any new clients. The psychotherapy I provide goes well beyond the simple ways we often think about ourselves: depressed, anxious, traumatized etc. These are useful labels but for each person there is a whole lifetime leading up to those ideas. You can think about them alone, but talking with the safety and care that I provide makes all the difference. Psychotherapy is about how you talk to me, what you say, when you say it and the confidentiality creates a space where we can bring all the ways you may be with me to awareness.

With compassion, an emphasis on safety, a gentle presence and through deep listening, I will help you to identify your goals, develop a plan, recognize your own strengths and internal resources to navigate and overcome current distresses and hurdles. Whether it is challenges of anxiety, depression, loss, trauma, life transitions, self-worth, or relationship issues, I feel it is an honour and a privilege to walk with you on your journey towards individual growth and mental wellness, exploration, discovery, healing, integration and self-empowerment.

Welcome! Sherri is a Registered Social Worker, Psychotherapist with the OCSWSSW and a Pre-Clinical Fellow with the American and Canadian Associations for Marriage and Family Therapy. Sherri supports clients as they explore effective communication strategies, negative thinking and self-sabotaging behaviour, healthier relationships, self-compassion, and overall personal growth and well-being by employing a range of evidence-based and trauma-informed therapeutic approaches. Sherri offers more affordable services through her supervisory internship program. Please inquire about services with Haley Doyle, RP(Qualifying).

Shirley offers a relational approach to therapeutic services to young children/youth, parents, couples, and whole families. A collaborative strength-based approach is provided within a safe environment that offers growth and resilience. Experiences in therapy will empower strengths from within, build coping skills, and increase understanding of self and others to allow healing and growth.

Within each of us lies the vision and hope for the life we want to live. Yet, we can feel overwhelmed by inner or outer challenges, fears, negative beliefs, low self-esteem, anxiety or depression. In many years of practice, I have seen the resilience of the human spirit. As a Spiritual Psychotherapist, I work with traditional approaches, as well as those rooted in Transpersonal Psychology, Archetypal Psychology and Shamanism which recognize the power and strength inherent within to facilitate change. My aim is to act as guide as clients address past pain and present circumstances that limit the ability to live a life in full bloom.

Life is difficult. Complex circumstances hit us all, often resulting in a diminished ability for us to live life to its fullest. Unresolved emotional pain and trauma can give rise to depression, anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, and abuse of self and others. By Peaceful Waters therapists combine our professional training and our Christian faith to bring healing and restoration to spiritual, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and relational hurts. We offer a safe, non-judgmental and empathetic environment, nourishing hope and healing, in which the whole person is valued, affirmed and empowered, not just to survive but to thrive.

I am an experienced social worker and adoptive parent of three, with 15 years of involvement in the child welfare system. Throughout my career, I have supported children aged 5 and older, as well as youth and adults of all genders and sexual orientations. My expertise lies in assisting individuals impacted by adoption, including adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth or kinship families. I possess specialized training and skills to address various adoption-related issues, such as identity, abandonment, worthiness, and belonging, as well as other life transition challenges, including relationship issues and self-identity.

Are you facing a challenge and needing to find a way forward? Sometimes life is hard. Our lives include many experiences, including grief, loss, anxiety, and conflicts. Everyone deserves the opportunity to grow and live life to the fullest. As a spiritually integrated psychotherapist, I do not shy away from existential questions or exploring our place in the world. I am passionate about holistic treatment approaches. I am not a religious therapist, and I enjoy working with others from all faith backgrounds, including those who identify as agnostic or atheist.

As a psychotherapist, with a somatic and psychodynamic orientation, I seek to support people in finding greater freedom, creativity, compassion, empowerment and aliveness in their lives. I believe the antidote to emotional struggles is finding a sense of vitality. Listening, identifying and staying with one's emotional world is the key to self awareness. As a psychotherapist my greatest task is to listen with compassion, for people to speak their deeper truths and to help them find an alternative pathways in living a life that expresses their authenticity and how to contribute with meaning in the world.

Grief is unique for every individual. There are many different losses that individuals experience, but the commonality is that grief can be debilitating, lonely and isolating. I accompany clients on their journey of processing multiple forms of grief that can include death loss, pet loss, traumatic loss and/or chronic sorrow. I offer in-person, virtual and telephone sessions. I also am available to provide support to clients in a counselling capacity specific to mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, self esteem, family conflict).

Do you feel stuck, do you feel overwhelmed are you looking for a new direction away from where you currently are? I've been there, stuck and lost and I use my background, as well as my education to assist people every day to find a new direction for their life. I have been forced to recreate myself and I can help you to create a new pathway that meets your goals. During my time as a therapist I have devised a unique supplement to counselling which is called Echo Cognitive Supplemental Therapy or ECST. These audio recordings are personalized and reaffirms the goals we discuss during your counselling sessions.

UPDATE: Welcoming new clients! I often work with people in their 20s navigating newfound independence & early careers, or those in their 30s-50s feeling unfulfilled despite all they’ve accomplished in work & relationships. A common thread is the pressure to keep it all together, while feeling overwhelmed, lonely, disconnected, or plagued by self-doubt, a sense of performing, or constantly waiting for the rug to be pulled out. If you’ve had to be strong to get through life, it can be especially hard to seek out support. I understand that starting therapy is a leap outside the comfort zone for many and love supporting this process.

My practice has four foci each supporting personal growth, identity and well-being: 1. LGBT concerns: coming out, loneliness, dating, relationships, family conflict, developing acceptance of self and by others, consolidating identity, loss and adaptation in these situations, aging, illness; 2. trauma impeding life today: neglect, abuse, bullying, exposure to dangerous or dysfunctional environments, accident, loss, etc. 3. couples: long-term, new or dating, opposite and same sex, experiencing conflict, communication disconnects, codependency, affairs, family concerns, loss, substance abuse, addictions; 4. career counseling to align temperament to vocation, achieving work/life balance, supporting job loss/search and life stage changes such as retirement.

I am a Psychotherapist and Social Worker (MSW, RSW) with a passion for supporting people in creating healthy, fulfilling relationships. We are wired for love as human beings. And now a wealth of scientific research on attachment relationships backs this up. This means our closest relationships impact us in significant ways. On one hand, loving relationships are essential for supporting our growth and wellbeing. On the other hand, difficulties in our closest relationships fuel many of our most painful emotional struggles. So relationships hugely impact our health and wellbeing, for better or for worse.

Therapy is a little bit like detective work. Therapist and client work together to try and uncover significant events and memories to better understand the impact that these experiences have had on a clients life. This understanding allows us to work together towards lasting and meaningful change. It can be a highly rewarding process, as well as a challenging one. It is important to find a therapist that you feel safe enough to engage in this type of exploration with. Without a feeling of safety and trust, this work is not possible.

In my practice I use a creative, relational approach. I have a deep respect for a client's life experience and courage. With patience and presence I will challenge you to make the changes you want to see in your life. I offer a safe environment, free of judgment and filled with respect. In my practice you can count on being seen clearly and on seeing your own reflection. My continuous studies in the field allow me to offer clients the support they need. I have offices in both Waterloo and Stratford, Ontario.

I enjoy working with individuals, couples, and families who want to work on improving their situation, learning about themselves, their interactions with others, and finding healthier ways to live. I see clients for short-term and longer-term therapy.